Sweet Escape Pick : Hamilton Princess Hotel & Beach Club, Bermuda

Bermuda is the oldest self-governing British Overseas territory, yet all you need to know is that is has dreamy beaches, lovely locals and short direct flights.

The New Yorkers made it a favorite sweet escape many moons ago, but hey, they need the great beaches while sticking to their their “time is money” mantra (New Yorkers reach Bermuda in just 2hours). Now for us sun-and-beach spoiled Miami folks, one may wonder why should we bother to hop over there?

The answer is: cause it’s different, cause it’s charming, cause it’s inspiring, cause it’s relaxing, cause it’s genuine, cause it’s not cheap but delivers a lot bang for your hard earned buck. It’s simply heavenly. I loved my trip so much that I created a collage from my best photos I took there and printed it on canvas. The piece of personal art filled with vivid memories prominently hangs in our beach themed bedroom.

The Hamilton Princess is Grand Dame of Bermuda hotels with a very long, impressive list of events and guest. Queens and kings resided here and we too felt like royalty the minute we checked in. Gorgeous, art-filled interior is paired with a staff that shines with genuine warm smiles and the willingness to help you any way they possibly can. We recommend getting one of the rooms with a private patio that leads you to the (very) green lawn with a picturesque Marina front. My two young sons would run out every morning and enjoy the thick juicy grass under their feet…

The older one would pick flowers for me – a habit I had to put to an end abruptly. After a family breakfast on our patio – we variated between ordering room service and items we bought at the supermarket around the corner – we would take a quick dip in the refreshing infinity pool, then I would throw in a gym visit or a round of tennis, get dressed, pack the beach bag and swing by the wonderful hotel boutique that will seduce anyone into wearing Bermudas and straw hats. Then we would get on the hotel shuttle to the beach. Usually the word “ beach shuttle” creates no excitement on my end, but as I got on that cute little bus with the fellow hotel guests, I decided to simply focus on the views I could gather along the way. I was not disappointed. I saw a love fest of colors, unique architecture, an abundance of gorgeous flowers and trees and beach views that I had never even dreamt about. As a result I would look forward to this shuttle ride every day.

Our private beach was simply…well, heavenly,… only this Man-O-War warning sign at the entrance dampened my enthusiasm for a minute. But those unfriendly jellyfish don’t show up that often and thankfully I came with my Sea Safe lotion (a sun protection that causes jellyfish to really dislike you and turn the other way).

The sand was as they say…fine and pink….and never too hot. I walked barefoot to my lounge chair…taking my time, since my feet were happy. Once I settled in, I could not wait to get into the water though. The sea was clear and very salty – and… full of life! Little fish were my steady companion. 20 feet into the very shallow water hammocks awaited us with a new form of relaxation experience.

Just dreamy…. and fun too, when you play the game ‘who throws whom out of the hammock first into the water.’ The kids appreciate the little pirate themed playground on the beach as well. I loved it because it meant they could stay occupied by themselves in a fun, safe environment. This year the hotel launched it’s own kids club that provides tons of safe entertainment.

As for my own entertainment, I would take one of those surf boards with a paddle attached and paddle around getting lost in this perfect scenery that almost seemed too good to be real. Or I would snorkel around gazing at the sea life. Then I’d pick one of the hammocks on the beach, listen to my favorite tune while tackling the latest novel by Paulo Coelho.

On top of that, great food was delivered (I kept re-ordering the tasty chicken sandwich with Aioli and the tacos) ….The atmosphere was peaceful and exuded total relaxation.

When the last shuttle bus arrived to pick us up, I left eager for more. It was a perfect day and turned into the perfect stay.